Piccalio Kitchen Helper Towers/Alternative Towers Ideas

C

christincody

New member
Hi Moms!

I am considering buying the Piccalio Brand Mini Chef Foldable Helper Tower but I want your thoughts since it is pricey at $229 (at least today 2/2/24).
  1. Has anyone ever seen this brand on sale on the website?
  2. I like that this specific one by Piccalio folds and that it is made of real wood. I would also purchase the Safety Net that is an extra cost on their website as my daughter is on the small side (she's 15 months and just 20lbs)
  3. We have a small kitchen
I am willing to buy it used but I don't see it available for sale anywhere on FB Marketplace within 50 miles from me. If anyone has any ideas of other sites to check, I am all for it!

I should explain a little further:

I got a Kitchen Helper Tower by Guidecraft on Facebook Marketplace but I am not too happy with it. We have a small kitchen and I am finding its footprint when opened quite large and it is a bit heavy and bulky to open and close each time (the one I got from FB Marketplace is a 2019 model so maybe now they are lighter but this one isn't). It also doesn't have a step like the Piccolio for my daughter to step on it so have to help her climb it and then she has attempted (which I put a stop to right way) to put her foot on the side shape cut outs to pull up. I know I could sell the Guidecraft back on FB Marketplace so that is why I am considering a different option.

I am open to the Little Partners Explore n Store Tower as well but this one doesn't fold all the way, only the step folds. I am referring to this one

If anyone has a cheaper alternative, that is foldable, good for a small kitchen, sturdy and their kids like, please let me know! Please let me know if 1) you have the Piccolio Foldable Mini Chef Tower and like it 2) IS IT WORTH THE MONEY? or 3) others that fold that you like.

If there are other, posts I should refer please let me know! This is my first time posting on Reddit.

UPDATE 2/22/24: I ended up getting this folding kitchen stool from Harppa from their website for $113 (with their 15% winter code). It looks similar to the foldable Piccalio. So far so good! My daughter likes it. I’ve sold the Guidecraft back on FB Marketplace.

https://harppababy.com/products/harppa-foldable-toddler-learning-tower-kitchen-stool-helper
 
@christincody I had a very negative experience with Piccalio. The tower came chipped and then the wood started spilling after a week. It was very poorly made for the price, imo. Luckily they let us send it back and gave us a refund after we sent pictures.

Ended up ordering an ette tete tower instead. It’s made in Europe, as opposed to Piccalio being made in China. The craftsmanship is better and it’s actually easier/safer for my son to climb.
 
@christincody Unfortunately can’t speak to that particular one but wanted to vouch for the brand in general - we have the other piccalio tower (not foldable but converts into a little toddler table) and love it so far, have found it to be excellent quality and it’s definitely very sturdy
 
@strange1 Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the SDADI Kids Kitchen Step Stool with Safety Rail for Toddlers 18 Months and Older Natural LT01N and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful.

Users liked:
* Sturdy and easy to assemble (backed by 5 comments)
* Perfect height for toddlers (backed by 5 comments)
* Allows toddlers to be involved in kitchen activities (backed by 6 comments)

Users disliked:
* Poor quality and construction (backed by 10 comments)
* Tape for feet doesn't stick (backed by 1 comment)
* Too easy to climb (backed by 2 comments)

If you'd like to summon me to ask about a product, just make a post with its link and tag me, like in this example.

This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved.

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@christincody I considered all of these wood options before ultimately going with the Boon Pivot tower. Love love love it. Our house, and thus kitchen, is quite small (≈900sf). I was sold on this being completely foldable, 20mo has loved since they were 15mo, super sturdy, cheaper, easy to clean, easy to climb in and out, with a wide platform. Babe can even just stand at it and play pretend kitchen on the plat form at his age and it’s overall just a great size and height. I’m more confident at passing it on in good condition in a few years than any other option too.
 
@katrina2017 I’m considering the boon or cosco one but not sure if the fact they aren’t height adjustable is a deal breaker, what has been your experience so far? Also at 15 months was it safe and enclosed enough?
 
@kudot I definitely felt it was safe enough at 15 months. We had worked a lot on climbing, doing up and down, and going feet first before we even got the tower. With his height and the extra wide and deep platform I felt it was secure. He has slipped out of it a two times but that has been because he has been too excited and wasn’t paying attention to his feet - being plastic though it was less impactful on his body than if it were wood - and not any different than if was an all wood one really. And I was thankful he didn’t get stuck in any part of it when he slipped as can be the case with extra bars etc
 
@kudot I hear that!

No, part doesn’t bother me since the top of bar in the front is standard counter height. We don’t always have it up against a counter or table, like when he’s just being the kitchen lookout, but it is also wide and low enough that he wouldn’t fall over or under it by leaning, and it wouldn’t tip. He was 2’ 7” at 15 months for more info! I do really like that he can get in and out of it himself and all the other features.
 
@katrina2017 Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the Boon PIVOT Toddler Tower Folding Step Stool Montessori Kitchen Helper Stool for Kids and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful.

Users liked:
* Compact and easy to store (backed by 13 comments)
* Sturdy and safe for toddlers (backed by 13 comments)
* Perfect height for kitchen counters (backed by 9 comments)

Users disliked:
* Safety concerns (backed by 5 comments)
* Poor quality and durability (backed by 2 comments)
* Difficult to unfold and store (backed by 1 comment)

If you'd like to summon me to ask about a product, just make a post with its link and tag me, like in this example.

This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved.

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@christincody I have this tower and chose it for similar reasons as you— small footprint and a foldable storage option.

Overall it’s been fine. I wouldn’t want anything larger in our small house. We don’t often fold it to store but do like having that as an option. It’s easy for my toddler to push from its storage spot by the couch to the kitchen to the bathroom. The adjustable height has been really nice— our guy is tall so we lowered it to the second level pretty quickly. I also like the aesthetic so don’t mind that it usually sits by a couch when not in use.

One of the horizontal support bars needed replaced after assembly. They were easy to work with and we got the replacement part relatively quickly, but it was kind of annoying having to disassemble and reassemble so shortly after getting it, but we took advantage of this to lower the platform.

A few design flaws make me hesitate to fully recommend it: it needs to be against something to prevent tipping, but the height of the horizontal bars is right where the knobs/handles are on our bottom kitchen cabinets, so the entire tower isn’t flush with the cabinet, just the knobs. Additionally, the horizontal support bar on the back acts like a ladder rung that my toddler likes to use to climb higher and reach things he can’t while on the platform. It’s also easy for my guy to push up on the platform to start the folding process which has caused a few close calls of pinched fingers or it falling on him.

The Sprout Sous Chef tower was another one I was considering as it has a smaller footprint than most. Considering how little we use the folding feature of the Piccalio for storage, in retrospect I wonder if that would have been a better choice.
 
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